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New research finds Over 40% percent of gay and bisexual men in Metro Vancouver are smokers

posted on October 13, 2017

New research from the Momentum Health Study, a program supported by the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, finds rates of smoking are three times higher among gay and bisexual men compared to the general population in a province that has the lowest rates of smoking in the country. The rates are highest among bisexual men - 73.5% of whom are smokers, with 62.4% smoking every day.

Past research has also shown cigarette smoking is one of the leading causes of death for people living with HIV, including HIV positive gay and bisexual men. One of the study’s authors, Dr. David Moore tells Niko Bell of Xtra, while it’s not clear how much more dangerous tobacco is to people living with HIV, serious illnesses caused by smoking such as heart and lung disease and cancer can make management of HIV more difficult, and health outcomes worse.

Among Momentum Study’s findings:

Nearly 1 of 4 GBMSM (gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men) in Vancouver are living with HIV. HIV positive GBMSM are more likely to smoke than HIV negative men, but less likely to quit smoking.

Married or monogamous GBMSM as well as those with higher income levels (>$60,000) and those who self-reported excellent health had higher success with quitting smoking.

Substance use (cannabis, GHB, crystal meth), bisexual identity, having a lower annual income, having no more than a high school education and having a partner who smokes, were each associated with increasing daily smoking rates or resuming daily smoking among GBMSM.

Researchers say further efforts must be made to reduce smoking rates among the GBMSM community with culturally appropriate resources and programs that target couples, not just individuals.